by C J Carey
SYNOPSIS To control the past, they edited history. To control the future, they edited literature.
London, 1953, Coronation year - but not the Coronation of Elizabeth II.
Thirteen years have passed since a Grand Alliance between Great Britain and Germany was formalised. George VI and his family have been murdered and Edward VIII rules as King. Yet, in practice, all power is vested in Alfred Rosenberg, Britain's Protector. The role and status of women is Rosenberg's particular interest.
Rose Ransom belongs to the elite caste of women and works at the Ministry of Culture, rewriting literature to correct the views of the past. But now she has been given a special task.
Outbreaks of insurgency have been seen across the country; graffiti daubed on public buildings. Disturbingly, the graffiti is made up of lines from forbidden works, subversive words from the voices of women. Suspicion has fallen on Widowland, the run-down slums where childless women over fifty have been banished. These women are known to be mutinous, for they have nothing to lose.
Before the Leader arrives for the Coronation ceremony of King Edward and Queen Wallis, Rose must infiltrate Widowland to find the source of this rebellion and ensure that it is quashed.
REVIEW
The first thing I saw about Widowland was the quote above comparing it to Fatherland and The Handmaid's Tale. I am a huge fan of both of those novels so I knew that I had to give Widowland a try. After finishing the book, I thought that the comparison was pretty accurate, also mixed in with elements of Making History by Stephen Fry. If you are a fan of any of these books, then I would definitely add Widowland to your reading lists!
The first half of the book is a slow burn but for the book to work, it needed to be. There was a lot to take in and understand about how this alternate version of Great Britain was structured, the rules and regulations which governed all aspects of everyday life, and the classifications all girls and women were put into, which ultimately affected their entire lives from that point onwards.
The part of the story I found most interesting was the way the government tried to edit classic literature as a way to control the spreading of dangerous propaganda which could harm their overall vision for the country. Rather than erasing or burning all literature they didn't agree with, they simply came up with a way to edit the text, rewriting certain ideas, updating and rephrasing characters or themes to fit with their ideals.
The second half of the book really picks up the pace as the paranoia and distrust sets in. I really enjoyed reading about the group of women interviewed in Widowland. I thought they were the most interesting characters and could even be used in a prequel or additional novels. Altogether I thought this was a really interesting idea and an enjoyable read.
Thanks to @QuercusBooks, @JaneThynne and @MillsReid11 for the opportunity to read and review.
Fiction: Alternative History / Feminist Criticism
Product format: Hardback
ISBN: 978-1529411980
Pages: 400 pp
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